Sweetwater says workers stole from cafeterias

Losses are upward of $500,000, superintendent says

Angel De La Vega removes chicken fajita quesadillas from the oven at a Sweetwater cafeteria. He has been placed on leave as part of an investigation into theft and nepotism. "This is just allegations," he said. (2008 file photo • U-T)

Angel De La Vega removes chicken fajita quesadillas from the oven at a Sweetwater cafeteria. He has been placed on leave as part of an investigation into theft and nepotism. "This is just allegations," he said. (2008 file photo • U-T)

Eight cafeteria workers are under investigation in the Sweetwater Union High School District as officials examine allegations of widespread theft and nepotism, citing at least $500,000 in losses.

The district put six employees on unpaid leave — two supervisors, two cafeteria managers, a secretary and a food storage warehouse worker. At least two of them, the supervisors, have since resigned.

The district has hired private investigator Bob Price, president of San Diego-based ESI International, to examine the food-service department, at a cost of $64,000.

Superintendent Ed Brand said he expects the district’s insurance to fund the investigation and cover the district’s $500,000-plus losses.

Brand said documents already have been handed over to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. The final report, which may conclude this month, will likely urge prosecution, Brand said.

“We have asked them to help us prosecute those people who have given us a black eye in this area and we intend to make sure that everyone who has not followed our procedures will pay the consequences for that, and we are leaving no stone unturned,” Brand said.

The investigation indicates that employees stole food and drinks from cafeterias and kept the goods or sold them elsewhere, Brand confirmed. Inventory and accounting in the department were found to be irregular and inaccurate.

Food service supervisor Patty Zepeda was placed on unpaid administrative leave in July and resigned in September. Zepeda declined to comment when The Watchdog reached her last summer and could not be reached for comment this month.

Zepeda and her husband, a bus driver for the district, filed for bankruptcy July 13. Zepeda’s final salary was $64,776, officials said.

“This is just allegations, and I have no comment,” said De La Vega, Zepeda’s cousin.

Vasquez, Zepeda’s sister-in-law, said, “I have nothing to do with it. I don’t know what they did.

“I was never told that something was missing in the cafeteria or that something was wrong. I did everything the way it has to be,” Vasquez said. “I have some proof that is going to show my innocence.”

Vasquez said she has not spoken with the private investigator hired by the district. She said some inventory issues may have arisen when cafeterias borrowed food or supplies from each other, but said, “I did not personally take anything. The truth is going to come out. I know that.”

Food service supervisor Sandra Santizo was placed on unpaid leave in August as a result of the investigation. She said she resigned Dec. 21 after 22 years in the district. Santizo said she was not involved in or aware of any wrongdoing, and is not related to Zepeda.

“I didn’t take anything. I am an honest person,” Santizo said. “I could fight it but I didn’t want any more stress.”

Santizo’s son, Paul Santizo, works in the food services warehouse and was also placed on unpaid administrative leave in August. He has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Department secretary Alicia Gastelum was also put on leave and could not be reached for comment.

Santizo said the former department head, Nancy Stewart, was rarely in the office, leaving the supervisors, including Zepeda and Santizo, in charge.

“I have never had any problems at the schools and my evaluations are good,” Santizo said.

The district said eight people are under investigation, but did not identify the two remaining employees.

Stewart said she was shocked to hear of the allegations after her departure in June and indicated family illnesses kept her out of the office much of her last year.

“It is correct that Patty had a good deal of influence in the department and I relied on her ability to bring continuity to the resolution of day to day issues,” Stewart said in an email.

Stewart left her position in June after The Watchdog reported on connections between school cafeterias and a side business she ran marketing smoothies and other products. The district then terminated most of the contract for a food distributor that was selling some of Stewart’s brands to the district.

Brand said the district hired a private investigator to ensure theft was fully rooted out.

“The D.A. will tell you up front that they do not have the staff to basically do the in-depth reporting and probably wouldn’t get to it, and they are very familiar with Price and his work,” Brand said. “We are still concerned that we have people in the organization that haven’t told us the entire truth, but we believe that we will get to the bottom of it by the time we are done.”

The District Attorney’s Office would not say whether it is investigating the district’s food service department.

The office is pressing unrelated criminal charges against two school board members, a former board member and the former superintendent, Jesus Gandara, as well as a construction executive, alleging they engaged in a corrupt pay-to-play culture when awarding construction contracts. The defendants have denied wrongdoing and are set for arraignment on Friday.